Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-11-11
ILLINOIS FAULTY LAWS.
Defects In the Present Practice
shown by Legal Lisht---A Warn


Defects in the Present Practice
shown by a Legal Light---A Warn
ing 10 Iowa.
The Davenport Democrat Gazette OF
last evening contains the following con-
corning the difference between Illinois
and Iowa modes of common law prac.
tice:
Yesterday one of the most prominent
LAWYERS in practice across the river was
in law Office in this city with several
resident attorneys-and the conversation
turned upon the differences in the modes
and rules of practice in Iowa and Illinois,
Illinois is an older state by twenty years
and common law still prevails within its
boundaries to q great extent And
speaking of this. the Illinois lawyer said
it delays proceedings in most vexstions
way. The Judges are continually chang
ing, term after term, and the practitioner
can at once see the difficulties and delays
encountered in making up the pleadlngs
and completing the issues ready for trisl.
1t is not an uncommon thing for three
terms to pass by in very ordinary and
unimportant chancery Gaze before the
issues are made up. In addition to these
changes the circuit court judges are linz
BILE to assignment by the supreme court
at any time, and may be sent to any
part of the state to hold court. The
system has not worked well, and the
lawyers in this section express them
selves freely in opposition and condem-
nation. The appellate court was de
signed as an intermediate tribunal to
| relieve the supreme court. Cases in
volving amounts under $1,000 cannot
| be appealed from that court, and il
serves the purpose for while it was de-
signed very well But the lawyers
claim they are the sufferers, and that
while the supreme court is relieved OF
its burdens those oil the bar are greatly
increased. In short, the Rock lslsud
lawyer said thai the Judicial system of
| Illinois has been doctored and patched
up so frequently that hardly any law
yer will undertake TO explain it without
a retaining fee and prospect of liberal
compensation when he finishes. In
fact life is too short for one man to I'M
dertske to fathom all the laws govern
ing the judiciary, and only those who
have grown gray on the bench seem tC
have perfect understanding of the in
tricate system. The state is divided
into IL districts. his. the tent
embracing six counties, and eacf
district is entitled to three
circuit judges, The terms of court av'
erage from three TO four in each county
and tie length of the terms vary accord
ing to the amount of business Out o
the three circuit court judges elected TIL
supreme court is empowered to select on
or more for services on the appellate
bench, thus reducing the working tore
of the district to two. who ere entitled /,
the assistance of the appellate judges
elected as one of their number wheneve
they can find him idle. The work is di
vided up to suit them, constant change
being the result, with consequent embsr
easements and almost unending trouble
to the lawyers and needless expense t
clients.
The gentleman from across the rive
warned his Davenport brethren sgsins
the danger of falling into the same sys
TEN He said the entering wedge hs
been placed in Iowa in the adoption o
the present district court system wit
three judges in district like this alter
mating in holding court. But perhsp
you lawyers want to mix things up S
that nobody but yourselves can under
stand them, he said, with laughter